The field of the present invention is medical video imaging.
Video imaging in surgery and other medical procedures has become quite common as minimally invasive endoscopic techniques have replaced previously used open approaches to treat patients. Such imaging is very advantageous for endoscopic joint surgery, particularly in the knee and shoulder. Such surgery can additionally benefit from two or more simultaneous endoscope camera views. Where joint surgery requires that the camera move repeatedly between portals, multiple cameras can reduce surgery time. Other orthopedic applications where a rigid endoscope is now used may benefit from a second view reachable only by a small diameter needle endoscope. Using multiple endoscopes at the same time can be useful. However, most endoscopes are coupled to a camera to collect the image and also to a light source for illumination. Should one endoscope be directed toward another, the illumination from the one can spoil the other's image. Additionally, some endoscope cameras control the lighting as part of their automatic exposure system. If lighting comes from another source, a camera auto exposure system may not be able to maintain the correct image brightness.
Endoscopic video systems have included an endoscope, camera, light source, and display. The camera is comprised of a camera control unit (CCU) and an image sensor. These system components have been arranged in different ways depending on the application. For example, the image sensor may be placed at the distal tip of the endoscope and the light source located in the endoscope handle. A large high-performance image sensor may be placed in a camera head enclosure attached to the proximal endoscope eyepiece and the light delivered to the endoscope through glass fibers from a remote light source.